Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Answers About Elon Musk and DOGE’s Access to Disaster Victims’ Personal Data
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues to demand answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has reportedly accessed the sensitive personal data of disaster victims.
The senators in their letter to Cameron Hamilton, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator also sought more information on the procedures FEMA follows to protect data from misuse, and if DOGE's unaccountable agents complied with federal law.
“The United States has suffered from a growing number of natural disasters over the past several years—from severe flooding in Vermont and hurricanes in North Carolina, to catastrophic wildfires in Hawaii and California. In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA. They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents,” the senators wrote.
“Mr. Musk has stated his desire to eliminate waste at FEMA. We agree the country must examine and thoughtfully consider reforms to the operation of FEMA. Our constituents have experienced first-hand the frustrating bureaucracies that hinder the federal disaster recovery process. Congress must take steps to equip FEMA and communities with the tools needed to better assist disaster victims after the storm has passed. We stand ready to work with anyone willing to fix it,” the senators continued. “But such reforms do not require, or come close to justifying, the invasive measures DOGE has reportedly undertaken.”
“When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm. Reports indicate you have breached that trust—perhaps in violation of federal privacy law,” the senators concluded.
In their letter, the senators requested responses to the following questions to understand the scope of that breach and the extent of FEMA’s compliance with federal law:
- Please provide a complete list of individuals authorized by FEMA to access disaster victims’ data and records during the period between January 20, 2025, and February 14, 2025. Please indicate whether those individuals are employees of FEMA, the White House, DOGE, or another federal agency and specify the agency. If the individuals are not federal employees, please indicate that in your response.
- What are the individuals specified above authorized to do with disaster victims’ data and records, and what types of data were obtained?
- What procedures does FEMA follow to protect disaster victims’ data from misuse? Are DOGE-affiliated individuals required to follow those procedures?
- How many Americans’ personally identifiable data has been accessed by DOGE-affiliated individuals? What vetting did these individuals undergo prior to their being granted access to FEMA systems?
The letter was led by U.S. Senators Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
Full text of the letter is here.
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